TABLE 44.-Per cent of families having a total yearly income under $500, by locality and by general nativity and race of head of family. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only races with 20 or more selected families reporting in each of two or more localities. The totals, however, are for all races. For selection of families, see p. 413.] Without regard to nativity and race, it will be seen from the totals for the three localities from which information was secured that Chicago and Kansas City, with almost identical percentages, show considerably larger proportions of families than South Omaha having a total yearly income under $500. As regards general nativity, it will be noted that the native-born in each locality show a much smaller proportion of families with an income under $500 than do the foreign-born, the difference being especially marked in Kansas City and South Omaha. The foreignborn families in Chicago and Kansas City show considerably larger proportions with an income under $500 than do the foreign-born families in South Omaha. On the other hand, the native-born, while showing the largest proportion of families with an income under $500 in Chicago, show a very small proportion of families in Kansas City and South Omaha with a total yearly income below this amount. Of the foreign-born families, the Bohemians and Moravians show a slightly larger, and the Germans a much larger, proportion of families having a total yearly income of less than $500 in South Omaha than in Chicago, the proportion of German families in Kansas City with an income under this amount being slightly below the proportion shown by South Omaha. On the other hand, the proportion of Polish families with an income of less than $500 in both South Omaha and Kansas City is very small as compared with that of Chicago, the proportion in Kansas City being slightly larger than in South Omaha. As regards the native whites, who report only a small proportion of families having an income of less than $500, it will be noted that the porportion in South Omaha slightly exceeds that in Kansas City. WIVES AT WORK. The extent to which wives contribute to the family income by engaging in regular employment outside of the house is set forth in the following table, which shows, by general nativity and race of head of family, the proportion of wives at work: TABLE 45.-Wives at work, by general nativity and race of head of family. The above table shows that of 964 wives for whom information was secured 1 per cent are at work, the average earnings being $149. Of the 17 races shown in the above table the proportions of 6, owing to the small number involved, are not computed; 6 show a small per cent of wives at work, and 5 report no wives working. As regards those with wives at work, it will be seen that the English and Irish show the largest proportions, or 4.3 and 2 per cent, respectively, while the smallest proportion, or 0.6 per cent, is shown by the Croatians. The native whites, Croatians, English, Irish, and Magyar each report 1 wife at work. In no case, owing to the small number involved, have the average earnings of the wives of the several races been computed. 48296°-VOL 13-11- -6 In the following table the per cent of wives at work is shown according to locality and general nativity and race of head of family: TABLE 46.—Per cent of wives at work, by locality and by general nativity and race of head of family. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only races with 20 or more selected families reporting in each of two or more localities. The totals, however, are for all races. For selection of families, see p. 413.] The above table shows that a very small proportion, or only 1 per cent, of the wives in the families studied in the industry as a whole are at work, Chicago reporting 2.1 per cent, as compared with less than 1 per cent for both Kansas City and South Omaha. While the proportion of foreign-born and native-born wives at work for the combined localities is identical, it will be noted that in only one locality, South Omaha, are native-born wives at work. In this locality the native whites report 2.7 per cent. As regards the foreign-born, 2.2 per cent are reported at work in Chicago, as compared with less than 1 per cent for Kansas City and South Omaha combined. The Germans alone are reported from more than one locality, and of the wives of this race a larger proportion are at work in Chicago than in South Omaha. FEMALE MEMBERS OF HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED WHO WERE AT WORK. An inquiry was also made as to the regular employment outside of the home of all females in the households studied and the results are embodied in the table below. It shows, by locality and by general nativity and race of individual, the per cent of females 16 years of age or over at work. TABLE 47.--Per cent of females 16 years of age or over at work, by locality and by general nativity and race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only races with 20 or more females reporting in each of two or more localities. The totals, however, are for all races.] The important fact disclosed by the foregoing table is found in the comparatively small proportion in each locality of females of foreign birth who are at work. Of the native-born females, 42.5 per cent in Chicago, 23.8 per cent in Kansas City, and 39 per cent in South Omaha are at work, as well as the larger proportion of native-born of foreign father females in each of the localities mentioned. In striking contrast it is seen that only 3.1 per cent of the foreign-born women in Chicago, 5.6 per cent in Kansas City, and 6.6 per cent in South Omaha are at work. Of the three localities, the greatest tendency toward woman labor is shown by the proportions of Germans and Poles at work in Kansas City. Of the three races furnishing information, the Germans show the largest proportion of women at work. It is also noteworthy that each race shows a somewhat greater tendency toward the employment of women in South Omaha as compared with Chicago. The following table shows, by general nativity and race of individual, the approximate yearly earnings of all females 18 years of age or over who were working for wages: TABLE 48.- Yearly earnings (approximate) of females 18 years of age or over, by general nativity and race of individual. The average yearly earnings of 109 individuals reporting complete data are $330. It is seen that the average earnings of the native-born of foreign father is greatly in excess of those of foreign-born individuals. Of the foreign-born only the Bohemians and Moravians are reported in sufficient numbers for comparison, and it is seen that they earn much less than the native-born of foreign father of both the Irish and Bohemians and Moravians, and slightly more than the native Germans of foreign father. Comparing the native-born of foreign father, it will be seen that the Irish earn much more than the Bohemians and Moravians, and the last-named race a great deal more than the Germans. RELATION BETWEEN THE EARNINGS OF HUSBANDS AND THE PRACTICE OF WIVES OF KEEPING BOARDERS OR LODGERS. The necessity of contributing to the family support because of the low range of earnings of husbands employed in the slaughtering and meat-packing industry is illustrated by the following tables which show the number and per cent of families in which wife has employment or keeps boarders or lodgers, according to yearly earnings of husband and general nativity and race of head of family. |